Public hearings on Searsport tank to convene at 6 p.m.

Board may schedule two additional hearings

By Tanya Mitchell | Jan 14, 2013

Photo by: Tanya MitchellSearsport Planning Board Chairman Bruce Probert, right, addresses the panel of residents who spoke about potential impacts the proposed liquefied petroleum gas tank could have on property values and the local economy at a public hearing Thursday, Nov. 29.

Searsport — Searsport Planning Board Chairman Bruce Probert confirmed this week that the upcoming public hearings on a proposal from a Colorado company to build a 22.7-million-gallon liquefied petroleum gas storage tank at Mack Point would begin at 6 p.m.

The three nights of hearings scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 16, Thursday, Jan. 17, and Friday, Jan. 18, are a continuation of five nights of public hearings the board scheduled during a week in November to gauge public input about the project proposal from DCP Midstream.

Probert said there had been some confusion about the start time for this week's hearings — information posted on the town website stated the meetings would not begin until 6:30 p.m. — Probert confirmed the hearings are slated to take place from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Searsport District High School.

Probert said the hearings would likely begin with the presentation of an all risks hazards assessment study from Good Harbor Techmark, a study that Islesboro Island Trust commissioned last fall. Next up will be the remaining presentations from Thanks But No Tank, one of several groups awarded interested-party status at the last series of public hearings. Probert said DCP Midstream representatives also plan to present additional information at the hearings, and there will likely be more questions from the board for all parties involved.

"And we still have many comments coming from the general public," said Probert.

Probert said there was "a 50-50 chance or less" that all of the business regarding the DCP application would not be completed within that time span. Should that be the case, Probert said the board would schedule two more nights of hearings Monday, Jan. 28, and Tuesday, Jan. 29.

Leaving a week in between public hearings, said Probert, will allow time for interested parties and the applicant to go over information provided at this week's hearings and perhaps prepare responses or questions in response.